Friday, September 30, 2011

A white spectacle: A rare pure white humpback whale has been spotted off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. There are only 10 to 15 in the 15,000-strong humpback population along the east coast of Australia

A rare white humpback whale calf has been spotted near Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Believed to be just a few weeks old, the 12ft calf was seen at Cid Harbour in the famous reef's Whitsunday Islands area by a family out in the bay in their boat.

White whales are highly unusual, with only 10 to 15 believed to exist among up to 15,000 living along Australia's east coast.

Has he got a famous dad? This picture shows Migaloo - Aboriginal for 'whitefella' - another pure white whale that been spotted off Australia since 1991. The calf may be related

Wayne Fewings was diving in the harbour when he spotted the animal surfacing and described the sighting as a 'once in a lifetime experience'.

He said: 'We were just drifting when I noticed the smaller whale in the pod was white. I couldn't believe my eyes.

'Then the white calf approached my boat, seeming to want to check us out. I was just so amazed at seeing this animal, it made me think how truly astounding the Great Barrier Reef is.'